Budget fall out for south-east Qld

Wayne Swan announced an $18 billion deficit in the federal budget with south-east Queensland now shuffling through the fall out.

The Federal Treasurer believes he's delivered a responsible budget with big spending on DisabilityCare and a plan to get the Government out of deficit.

How will the deficit affect areas of health, roads and tourism in the south-east?

The positives

Former Treasury employee and professional economist Gene Tunny believes the budget didn't deliver happy news for the state.

"The budget as a whole is a bit depressing," he says.

"For the state of Queensland I think the education plan could deliver significant gains and it's one of the positive things.

"The NDIS will also bring benefits to Queensland.

"The Gateway Motorway and the Cross River Rail Project are both big items out of the budget."

Mr Tunny says the minerals resources rent tax estimate is a worry but the state needs to think more as a whole.

"If you're in a business that is reliant on the resources industry there will have to be adjustments, but we should start thinking about the state as a whole and not industries on their own.

"One of the biggest problems is because of the high dollar our tourism from overseas visitors is in a big slump and this has affected places like the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and the Whitsundays."

Roads

One of the winners of the budget was south-east Queensland roads.

Money was allocated for the Bruce Highway, the Gateway Motorway, the Cross River Rail project in Brisbane, the Warrego Highway and the Ipswich Motorway.

RACQ's Michael Roth explains that some major projects though were overlooked.

"The Pacific Motorway's six lanes down to Tugun missed out and unfortunately there's not more money other than the current project that's already underway," says Mr Roth.

"That's disappointing."

The Bruce Highway between the Sunshine Coast and Gympie has received further funding.

$600 million will be spent on the upgrade of the Cooroy to Curra stretch of the highway.

Gympie Mayor Ron Dyne wants the federal opposition to also commit to the funding.

"I'd like to think that when governments do make promises in spending dollars on infrastructure it does eventuate."

Another $400 million has also been allocated for a highway upgrade between Caloundra and the Sunshine Motorway on the Sunshine Coast.

Health

Many families in the south-east are worried about the loss of the baby bonus from March next year, but obstetrician Dr Gino Pecoraro says this isn't the worry.

Future medical costs will increase with Medicare rebates set to be frozen.

"There are a lot of consequences to the changes that have been announced," says Dr Pecoraro.

"We've been told that Medicare rebates are going to be frozen for the next four years so the out of pocket expenses to see a GP will increase.

"Costs will increase over the four years and the GP will have to charge what it takes to run a business."

Dr Pecoraro explains that Australia has become reliant on bulk billing and this budget could have GPs taking back the option.

"I envisage that GPs won't be able to bulk bill in the future. If that happens as well as the increase with the health insurance I suspect a high transfer of people moving from the private to the public.

"This is all before you lose the baby bonus benefit."

Tourism

The Queensland Tourism Industry Council says expansion for the tourism over the next 12 months will be minimal due to the federal budget.

The Council's Daniel Gschwind hopes money from the Federal Government's passenger movement charge to be funnelled back into tourism in south-east Queensland.

He believes it's a reliable way for the Government to provide more funding for an industry that is already hurting.

"The passenger movement charge which I think increased substantially again has been foreshadowed and will raise a significant amount of money.

"Only a very small portion of that is going back into tourism and the promotion of tourism."